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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mark · content · wax · rush · lie · prune · bank · sharp

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. mark — a trace
  4. sharp — clever
  5. content — the amount
  6. wax — to grow
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. mark — a grade
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. prune — to trim
  22. content — happy
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com